Malunggay: The super-green supplement wonder

Malunggay- Moringa Oliefera

English Name: Horseradish tree, Ben Oil tree, Drumstick tree

Local name: Malunggay, Kamunggay, Kalamunggai, Molongai

Malunggay as this shrub is popularly known in the Philippines, is a popular vegetable additive for viands among Southeast-Asian and Indian geographies. Malunggay is widely acknowledged in the scientific community for having great nutritional as well as medicinal values.

In the Philippines, one can easily find this wonderful plant thriving in the wild and in almost every backyard. As it only requires low maintenance, this plant can grow accustomed with all types of soil. Almost all the parts of this plant is very useful- as flowers, leaves, fruit / pods and roots all have different health directives and benefits.

The benefits of Malunggay are centered around its leaves which have been found as a wonder supplement; being a rich resource for calcium, iron, vit c and phosphorus. A handful of this plant's leaves, thawed over low flame for a few seconds and applied on fresh cuts and wounds has already been practiced in most parts of the Visayas and Mindanao and is found to be an effective antiseptic and anti-inflammatory first aid. Its flowers contain anti-oxidant, anti- diabetic, and circulatory stimulating properties.

To get the most out of Malunggay, one can just simply:

• Simply eat the sumptous long time Visayan Recipies: Utan Bisaya (visayan vegetable soup) and Kinamunggayang Tinola (fish stew) where the leaves of this plant is one of the main ingredients.
• Take the supplement capsule that is now commercially available in the market.

Cebuano Herbsman

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Lagundi: The green relief of coughs, asthma and skin disorders

Lagundi – Vitex Negundo

English name: 5- leaved chaste tree
Local name: Dangla, Lagundi

Is a shrub that is perennially growing in the Philippines. Since ancient times Lagundi, has been used as an effective remedy for colds, flu, asthma, chronic bronchitis and even pharyngitis. Studies found that this shrub contains extracts which can prevent the body’s production of leukotrienes- a chemical reaction that’s released from the body during an asthma attack. It also has Chrysoplenol D which has anti-histamine and muscle relaxant properties.

The roots of the Lagundi on the other hand are used to treat rheumatism, dyspepsia, boils and even leprosy. The upper parts as leaves, flowers, seeds can be boiled and taken orally.

Commercially today, Lagundi is now available in capsule and syrup form while its flowers are recommended as tonic for the heart, liver and for other internal disorders as diarrhea and cholera.

This perineal plant has anti- inflammatory properties which make it an ideal treatment for leprosy and other skin diseases.

Preparation:

Boiling a cup of fresh or dried leaves and drinking the concoction.
Rub on / apply directly the decoction to relieve skin disorders.

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Atis: A potent healer of fever and colds

Atis- Anona Squamosa

English name- Sweet Sop, Sugar Apple
Local name- Atis

A small to medium sized fruit tree with light green, oval leaves used as a medicinal herb in most parts of the country. Atis is primarily a native plant of the Americas (Spanning from Central- South Americas) and was introduced in the Philippines during the spanish colonial times.

Described as having a milky, sweet and succulent flesh with black poisonous seeds, excluding only those; all parts of this tree have medicinal value.

Brewed leaves in boiling water is a good medicine for colds and fever. Drinking this concoction can also treat dysentery while pouring the hot concoction to one's bath will help ease out rheumatic pain. Inhaling its crushed leaves will help ease out drowsiness, while its bark brewed in boiling water will eliminate diarrhea.

An unripened Atis fruit is a good relief for insect bites.

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